Show-case



(No Model.)

J. M. DILS. SHOW CASE.

JN0. 569,620. Patented out. 20, 1896.

[ILMO/natali:Fd

] his/7% UNITED Sintes Partnr Ormea JOSEPH M. DILS, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,620, dated October 20, 1896. Application iled November 29, 1895. Serial No. 670,333. (No model.)

To onZZ wir/0m it may concern:

'Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. DILS, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to the cases used for the exhibition of goods,and especially to showcases designed for the display and handling of cigars, wherein a series of compartments is arranged in steps or tiers, each tier having separate hinged covers, which may be raised from behind the ease. Heretofore cigar-cases of this class have not been properly separated in to suitable compartments and are provided with covers which cannot be separately controlled by the salesman from behind the case.

The object of my invention is to provide a case having compartments which may be properly isolated and provided with doors which may be operated from behind the case and also with certain novel means by which any one or number of the doors may be locked or all of them may be locked by a single keeper and locking device, and by which means also the doors may be opened or closed from behind the case.

My invention consists in certain structural features and mechanical combinations hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein* Figure l is a perspective of a cigar-case, illustratingmy invention, wherein one of the hinged compartment-doors is held open; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section thereof; Fig. 3, an elevation of part of the back rails of the case, showing the improved latch and lock mechanism; and Fig. a, a horizontal section or plan of two of the rods and knobplates with latch-hooks and lock-bolts secured thereto.

A rectangular base l supports stepped skeleton end frames 2, paneled at 3 and connected with a series of rectangular cover-frames e 5 6, each of which has a door en ib 5n 5b 6 6b hinged thereto and each having secured near its hinge 7 a quadrant-lever S, which projects downwardly and inwardly into the case adjacent, respectively, to the opposite sides of a middle partition 2m and is connected to the hooked end of a rod 9, extending rearwardly nearly to the back l0 of the case, through the vertical rail ll of which is passed a knobplate l2, hinged to the end of the rod 9 and adapted to slide freely through a slot in the back rail l1. Each of the doors is thus connected to a sliding knob-plate 12, and holes l2a and 12b in said plate receive a hook 13, pivoted to the back rail 1l to engage therein and be held down by spurs 14 upon a slide-rod l5, held by staples to the back rail ll of the case and inclosed at its upper knob end by a lock-casing 16 to engage with locking mechanism, which either holds slide-rod l5 up or holds said rod down to lock all or any desired number of the hooks 13 securely in the holes of the knob-plate. Any one of the hooks, as shown bydotted lines at the lower left-hand side of the slide-rod in Fig. 3, maybe turned to one side and thus allow the knob-plate to be drawn in or out freely at any time, while the remaining compartments are kept locked.

The knob-plate l2 may be made either integral with the rod 9 or be made separate therefrom and secured thereto, or the end of the rod may be made square and adapted to receive the hooks'l, as such changes are merely structural and would obviously occur to any mechanic. The plate l2 and the rod 9 are therefore considered as one element in the claims hereinafter specified.

Any special brands of cigars may thus be kept locked and the compartments tightly closed, except when there is an occasion to open them, while other brands may be more nearly accessible at ordinary times and all of the compartments securely locked when required. The cigars may thus be better kept and handled and displayed in a safe, convenient, and attractive manner. The flavor of one sort of goods is not intermingled with the flavor of other goods to the detriment of both, as expert dealers well know.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-n l. A show-case,comprisi11g separate compartments, arranged one above the other in steps within an outer case, each compart- ICO ment being` provided with yan independentlyf 1o slide-rod 15 having spurs to engage the hooks and e look to engage the slide-rod, substantiztlly as described for the purpose speoiedA In testimony that I ehrirn the foregoing' as my invention I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

f JOSEPH M. DILS.

\Vitnesses: XV. H. ROWE, BRUNO KRUEPER. 

